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my favorite time of year

October 26, 2013

Today has been what every Saturday should be like. There was some sleeping in, a visit to the farmers’ market, a long walk with the dogs, a little reading and we’re about to embark on some major television viewing with a warm, homemade dinner by the fire and a big glass of wine. Oh October, I love you so much.

The television watching tonight is “mandatory.” Because Jamie got this brand-spanking new big, shiny TV for his birthday, it requires a new DVR machine which means once that’s installed, we lose all the stuff we’ve been saving on our old DVR (like great episodes of Buffy! The series finale of Friday Night Lights! A few Scandals! Some Modern Family! Oh yeah, and about 25 episodes of CSI!). So we’ll tackle “the important” shows this evening. This is my kind of homework.

I also want to update you guys on Merlin. This could get tough, but hang in there with me, ok?

So, the vet gave Merlin an full exam. To recap, in the last six months he’s had: Something weird where his eyelid stopped working on his blue eye, then fixed itself, lots of digestive issues, some weird licking issues, a few seizures, and weakness and nerve issues in his legs. The vet very kindly informed me that those things together could likely be symptoms of a brain tumor.

But! We are not going to go there. First, if it *is* a brain tumor, there is nothing I would do about it at this stage of my guy’s life besides make him comfortable. And second, the testing and such that would be needed to determine that would freak my boy out even more than he is already when at the vet, and I’m not gonna do that to him. So we’re going to put that information in a box and bury it deep in the back of our minds. Got it? OK. Moving on.

What we will focus on instead is how to make him more comfortable and how to get these back legs of his stronger. The vet thinks he has a mix of arthritis and nerve damage. But remember, he also has Cushings which means his liver has it rough. Because of this, medications have to be chosen carefully.

So… we decided to start a regimen of a small dose of pain meds and he will begin acupuncture in a few weeks. Go ahead and laugh at me and my choice of holistic medication for my dog, but my vet says she has seen remarkable results, and I want him to be comfortable. So judge away, I’m good with this choice.

And maybe you’ll get a photo or two. Who knows.

He started the pain meds yesterday afternoon, and you guys, he is doing so well. He seems to have so much more energy and light in his eyes and he was great on his walk today and holy moly is it good to see this boy again.